New Delhi, May 23: Ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024, ace Indian badminton players seem to be keen to train in Europe. Two-time Olympic medal winner woman shuttler PV Sindhu is getting ready to train in Germany to fine-tune her game.
Similarly, star Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen will train in France. Sports Ministry's Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has also approved their respective proposals for financial assistance.
MOC approved Sindhu’s proposal to head to Saarbrucken, Germany to train at the Hermann-Neuberger Sportschule. She will train there for over a month along with her coach and support staff before heading to Paris.
Lakshya, on the other hand, who will compete in men’s singles event in Paris, will train at The Halle des Sports Parsemain with his coach and support staff from July 8 to 21 ahead of the Olympic Games.
"MOC approved their funding their airfare, boarding/lodging cost, local transportation charges, Visa Fees, shuttlecocks expenses under the Ministry’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)," the ministry release read.
The MOC also approved Table Tennis player Sreeja Akula and Archer Tisha Punia’s proposals for support to procure equipment and golfer Aditi Ashok and swimmer Aryan Nehra’s proposals for assistance to travel to various competitions.
TOPS will fund their airfare, accommodation cost, local transportation cost and Aryan’s equipment and Aditi’s caddy fee.
It also approved inclusion of Table Tennis player Harmeet Desai and Women’s 4x400 Relay Team in TOPS Core group and the promotion of wrestlers Nisha (68kg) and Reetika (76kg) to Core group.
MOC also inducted coming golfer Kartik Singh in TOPS Development with focus towards 2028 and 2032 Olympics in Los Angeles and Brisbane respectively.
Training in European countries with better facilities and more professional coaches may help Sindhu and Sen to bolster their chances of winning medals in the upcoming Paris Olympics. If Sindhu can win another Olympic medal, it would be her third medal in three consecutive Olympics. (With IANS support)
